The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-31


England, the New York HeraId has oh
I tanned number Of valuable opinions OF
that result from actual manufacturers a.
to the practical outcome Of protection as
applied to wooden manufactures. We
quote few of the opinions of manufactur
ers.
Rowland Hazard is the head Of the
Peace Dale (R, H. Mfg Co, capital $500,
900. He said, Dec. cath, 1887;
What would the result be of the re-
moval OF the tariff on woods and woo!ens,
New life 10 us all. We are whitening SO
to speak Of an overdose of paternal govern.
ment. You have heard the story Of the
hen who was awfully good 10 her chicks
during the day-scratched for them and
warmed them and all that-but at night
she trOd on them, one after another, until
the life was pretty we'll crushed out of the
critters. Well, that's just what the tariff
Is doing 70 us-it Is kicking the stutling
out of us, so to speak. II we can get free
raw material think II will. 10 consider.
able extent have the effect 70 broaden our
market We shall get Canada's trade,
that's certain, and We can supply very
nearly the whole of our home market
Fluctuations will not be so large. Now,
whenever we happen TO have surplus
there Is no outlet for 1t. Prices never 90
low enough to enable US to export, and if
they did the fluctuations would be simply
enormous. Our labor would certainly be
better off, because with free stutfs and even
with reduction of tax on foreign goods
we should be able 10 give our help more
steady employment than we do now.
| think if we are favored 10y congress with
free material, that with the machinery we
have In this country, we could make enough
10 supply home markets and 1t would not
require much of fall in prices to enable
us to send some abroad, too. Now, great
heavens! we can't think Of shipping unless
the fluctuations are wide enough TO frigh-
ten you. Understand me, sir, we want to
20 Just as far as the President recommends.
That Is our position.
On Dec. 2lst, Moses T. Stevens owner OF
a wooden mill at Stevens Station, three
miles from Andover, Mass. says;
"To have the impost removed then, is
crying necessity. IL would tend 10 put US
In the position we held years ago. 1t
would start up the idle mills which now,
with their costly machinery, loom up as
spectres testifying to an untimely end. 1t
would give New England industry an i'm
petus which would be felt everywhere E.
We could doubtless after time
lind a fair foreign market for our surplus
if we secured relief Free raw material,
then, means fair competition and broader
market. assume without much hesita-
ton that freedom in trade, through it will
perhaps cheaper products to the consumer,
will also increase consumption. History
furnishes us this assurance in the matter of
the penny postage" etc. You ask If the
workmen in our mills will earn less in case
Congress does its duty concerning this sub.
ject? | think not Put II on the ground
of increased consumption alone. More
goods means more work; more work
means moro money, doesn't 1t? Here We
have an admirable and natural adjustment.
What Is the situation now Connecticut and
and in some parts of Rhode Island? Many
of the mills run only as long as they have
orders. When the orders are filled they
shut down. Does this help the the people
who run the looms? Others, again, are
running simply to change one silver dollar
for another, and some are really working
at loss Why right over here" pointing
down the valley, "there is magnificently !
appointed cotton warp and wOrsted mill"-l
he did not mention any name, but your
correspondent subsequently learned 1t was
the Arlington Mill, In Lawrence-"which
cost 81, 100000 TO build and INT up, and
which has all 1t can do to pay margin |
over expenses"
Mr.. Lassey, an employee in the same
mill, designer, being asked his opinion of
the matter, said:
1t really Is incredible that this great
tariff bugbear is allowed to remain. Do
you know that it makes difference of six
to eight cents yard in four ounce dress
goods? Now calculate this on every yard
made in all the mills along this valley in a
year and you will have some Idea of how
enormous the aggregate loss Is. On the
other hand, free the raw material from the
tax and you again see what a splendid
position our people will be In to compete
for foreign Is we'll as home trade.
81 believe we have machinery here now
sufficient to start twenty thousand more
hands in wooden manufacture If President
Cleveland's recommendations are carried
out. And our workmen expect to see them
carried out. We don't need to look
far to be convinced Of their superior intel.
ligence here.
For instance, when l was last at Brad
ford, England, if man run two looms IN a
cloth mill, he was considered uncommonly
skillful. Well, our men can easily run four
looms In English cotton mills, If an ope-
rative has five machines to attend to he
must have a helper. Here a good man
takes nine or ten spindles day In and day
out, and never thinks about it, because our
men work more and work better in many
respects.
Now, of course, this may not be an an
swer to c. d. Us argument; but if, rs C.
D. T. says,
ut Is charity to say that the President is
totally Ignorant of the existing state of af-
fairs when he recommends, with biting
sarcasm, beneath specious argument, a
further reduction of the tariff on WOOL
what must be the monumental ignorance
and superlative stupidity of the wooden
themselves, who think and
Att. L,,;ooe, IN 1op1nro hla |